


Snipers do it with precision.

by sperrywink



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Numb3rs (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Battle of New York (Marvel), M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-09-30 19:39:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17229989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sperrywink/pseuds/sperrywink
Summary: Ian never expected aliens as the way to meet new snipers.





	Snipers do it with precision.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [orbitaldiamonds](https://archiveofourown.org/users/orbitaldiamonds/gifts).



> For orbitaldiamonds for FLPR. Sorry this is super late, but it exists finally. 
> 
> Cheers and thank you again for your donation!

Ian liked to keep on top of the national sniper rankings because he liked knowing he was still one of the best. So, when he dropped a place and a new name came on the list, he figured it was some new hotshot entering the scene who’d joined the army or Marines or what-have-you. Imagine his surprise when Tom, the number two guy on the list, told him it was some older dude who was in the circus, of all things, before joining SHIELD. Ian wanted to call bullshit, but was glad he didn’t when he was next in New York City and fucking aliens invaded through a portal in the sky and a guy with a bow and arrow came to his rescue.

What was his life?

Ian climbed to the roof of his hotel with his sniper rifle, and began picking off the aliens, but they just seemed to keep coming and coming, and once they locked on his position, they targeted him directly. He had to switch roofs a good three times to stay ahead of the aliens trying to kill him. Nothing gave you that extra oomph to jump from one roof to another like a half dozen aliens on your tail.

On his fourth roof, he found another sniper with a weird muzzle on his face and black kohl around his eyes. He stumbled, and said, “Hey, aliens, what the fuck, am I right?” but the guy just turned his cold stare to the side of Ian and easily took out the alien following him. 

Ian returned the favor by taking out the two aliens coming up behind weird sniper guy, and they settled into a rhythm of defending this roof together. They were holding their own, until their position got overrun by what felt like a battalion of the aliens, and they were reduced to hand-to-hand fighting with their backs to each other as the aliens circled them. 

Ian was finally beginning to accept that this would be his last stand, when an arrow came whistling through the air, struck a guy about four back, and then exploded in a blast of alien flesh, causing the aliens to retreat for just a moment’s breath, which was sorely needed. A guy in a purple tactical suit with a legitimate bow and quiver, came swinging onto their roof, and said, “Looks like you guys could use some help.”

Ian said, “If you have more of those bomb arrows, I will kiss you.”

Arrow guy did a double-take and then laughed delightedly. “I might have a couple more up my sleeve, but I’m not that easy a date. You’ll have to buy me dinner first.”

“Done.” And then the aliens regrouped, and the three of them were fighting for their lives with no time for flirty banter. Ian knew it was a slim chance that they would make it out alive and into date territory, but it was an incentive to keep fighting when he felt drained and began to get dispirited. And then suddenly, the aliens all dropped as if their strings were cut. He was just about to headbutt one with his riffle, when it dropped, and his swing went wide and he stumbled. 

As he panted and kicked the nearest one to make sure it was dead, he simply said, “Huh.”

Arrow guy said, “Man of few words; I like that.”

“Do you think they’re dead?”

“Just got confirmation from Natasha; she’s closed the portal. Seems that way.”

Ian looked up towards the sky, and all he saw was blue. He nodded, and then stumbled as his adrenaline crashed. Mask guy steadied him, and he nodded his thanks. Arrow guy turned to mask guy and asked, “So what’s with the mask? To quote Princess Bride, are you disfigured? Not that there is anything wrong with that, just curious.”

Mask guy stared at them, and then slowly took off his mask. He was attractive in a scruffy, homeless way. He said, “Ready to comply.”

Ian and arrow guy exchanged concerned looks. Arrow guy asked, “Ready to comply to what? Are you okay, dude?”

Mask guy just repeated, “Ready to comply.”

Ian said, “Maybe we should take him with us to check in with your people? They may know what’s going on.”

“Sure, I’m Clint, by the way.”

“I’m Ian, and thanks for your timely save. We would have been toast if you hadn’t shown up when you did. I definitely owe you dinner, at the very least.”

“Are you backing out on my kiss?”

Ian laughed in relief at being alive. “Dude, I’d happily kiss you, blow you, or fuck you, whatever you want.”

Clint beamed at him, and said, “Let’s see how the kissing works out and take it from there.”

Then he tilted his head as if listening to something, and Ian noticed the earwig in his ear, and guessed he was getting new commands. After a moment, Clint said, “Come on. We’re meeting up around Fifth Avenue and 45th Street.”

Ian said, “I’ve got your six. Come on, man, you too.”

Mask guy simply nodded and secured his weapon on his back and followed them to the nearest roof door to a stairwell. There was definitely something not right about that guy, but Ian just secured his own sniper rifle, and brought up the rear.

They followed Clint through the torn-up streets and crumbling buildings, checking the aliens along the way to make sure they were truly dead. By the time they reached Clint’s people, Ian wasn’t surprised to see Iron Man, but was that Captain America? He said, “What the fuck?”

Clint looked back at him and then where he was looking at Captain America, and said, “Yeah, it’s been a trip.”

And then the weirdest thing happened, which considering they had been fighting aliens half an hour before was saying a lot. Captain America turned towards them with a smile that turned to shock as he asked, “Bucky?”

Ian and Clint looked at each other and then at mask guy, who said, “Who the hell is Bucky?”

And then chaos erupted. Again.

This time, it was certain SHIELD people turning on other SHIELD people, and Ian and Clint wisely dropped back behind an overturned cab until the bullets stopped flying, considering they didn’t know who were the good guys or why this fight had broken out. Captain America had taken hold of mask guy’s arm and pulled him down near them behind an overturned SUV. They could see Captain America frantically talking to mask guy, but mask guy looked torn and unsure, and Ian didn’t know what to do about that situation either.

Ian asked Clint, “Any idea what the fuck is going on?”

“Not a clue. Although I’m guessing mask guy isn’t quite as innocuous as we thought.”

“Wait a minute, Bucky? Bucky Barnes? Both he and Captain America are alive?”

“I seriously don’t know. Well, I know Captain America is alive, but I don’t know if that’s Bucky Barnes. He seemed a little out of it.”

“Well, now you’re just being polite. He seemed fucked in the head. Fights like a demon, though.”

Clint barked out a laugh. “Yeah, on all counts.”

Ian sighed. “What are the chances we can do that dinner now?”

Clint also sighed. “Slim to none, I’m betting.”

And they were right. By the time someone named Hill got the SHIELD renegades under arrest and order restored, it was pushing dark, and she wanted everyone to debrief. It looked like they would be stuck getting grilled about everything, until Iron Man stepped forward and made a big stink about shawarma. Clint not so subtly nodded towards him, and eased his way behind Stark and Ian followed. Thus, they were swept up in Tony Stark’s entourage as he led the brigade to a nearby bombed out shawarma place.

Once he was seated next to Clint, Ian whispered, “Thank fuck. I’m starving.”

Clint nodded and said, “Thank Stark. He’s the only one who could have made this happen.”

And just then Stark looked around the table, and said to Ian, “I don’t know you? When did you join our merry band?”

Clint said, “He’s with me. Fellow sniper. We’re the ones who found Bucky.”

Not wanting to be rude, and kind of awed by being at a table with Tony Stark, Ian just said, “FBI sniper and fugitive recovery.”

“Well, you certainly know how to recover them; finding Cap’s long-lost BFF and all.”

Ian shrugged and with a grin just said, “It’s a gift.”

Tony Stark laughed, as did Clint. Captain America looked down the table from where he had a firm grip on Bucky, and said, “Well, thank you, regardless.”

Ian just nodded and leaned into Clint as the food was served, and they all ate desultorily as their energy waned. Once the meal finished, Ian just sat there drinking a small cup of espresso and willing himself to stay awake. Clint was already snoring into his shoulder.

The redhead on the other side of Clint turned to him and asked, “I can take him off your hands, if you want?”

Ian shrugged as minutely as possible. “I don’t mind. Plus, I owe him everything for saving our lives. Bucky and I were just about to be overrun when he showed up.”

“He’s good at that.”

“And the least I can do is allow him a shoulder to sleep on.” He didn’t mention the kiss he felt he still owed Clint and hoped was reciprocated, but from the knowing gleam in her eye, she suspected there was more anyway. Ian rolled his eyes, and simply settled in more comfortably, making sure not to disturb Clint.

The quiet descended upon the restaurant with only the occasional sound of a siren outside or the murmur of conversation among the waitstaff. Ian was just beginning to doze off himself, when there was a clattering of dishes and Clint bolted upright. The table laughed, but Clint just smiled sheepishly, so Ian rubbed his back soothingly.

Ian said, “I’m about to turn into a pumpkin. I guess I’ll go see if my hotel is still standing.”

Clint pouted at him, but then yawned which ruined the affect. “I have to go to Brooklyn.”

“Feel free to crash with me for the night. We can check out your place tomorrow.”

Clint smiled endearingly at him, and Ian’s heart tripped in surprise. Clint said, “I’ll take you up on that. Plus, you still owe me a kiss.”

“I haven’t forgotten.”

“Then let’s blow this popsicle stand. I don’t need Tony Stark as a spectator.”

Ian nodded, and they said their good-byes, Ian getting a surprise hug from Captain America, which was just surreal. They made their way back to Ian’s hotel, and once there, discovered it still standing, and even better, with power. Ian’s room was still as he left it, so they settled in, taking turns taking a quick shower to wash off the grime and sweat.

Ian loaned Clint a pair of sweats, and settled in some clean boxer-briefs for himself. He was half asleep when Clint came out of the shower, but had enough brain power to give a smile and pat the mattress next to him. Clint crawled into the bed cuddling up to him, groaning in obvious relief. Ian could sympathize. He felt the same way.

“Before you doze off, come here,” Ian whispered.

As Clint turned towards him, Ian kissed him open mouthed and with increasing passion. Clint was all in, and his tongue delved into Ian’s mouth first. But then one or both of them yawned, making Ian chuckle and say, “We can pick it up in the morning.”

“Damn right, we can, Mr. FBI Sniper.”

“You know, if you hadn’t saved my life, I’d be pretty pissed at you. You knocked me down to fourth place in the rankings.”

With a cheeky grin, Clint said, “Good thing I’m charming, then, huh?”

Ian pecked him on the mouth briefly. “Excellent thing. I can use your brand of charm in my life always.”

“I might hold you to that.”

Ian mumbled, “See that you do,” and then he was dozing off, happy to be alive, and even happier to be able to share that euphoria with someone.


End file.
